From: SomeGod <psychon@oocities.com> Date: Sun, 24 Aug 1997 00:54:16 -0700 Subject: USS CHESAPEAKE: Reception - Chat with Fielding
Masako Goto wrote: > > SD 90822.1428 > > ------------------ > Ten-Forward Lounge > ------------------ > > MD 14.2046 > > Lieutenant (junior grade) Derek Fielding listened attentively to the > FCO with something approaching alarm. Bug and grub juice? Fly-type > thingie? He could only hope that the Corellian insect population was less > likely to cause fatal illnesses than the ones found on Earth. > > "Errr... I *see*," he said, as Mr. O'Graeach finished telling him of > the biscuits. "If I might ask, how do you know so much about Corellian > delicacies? It seems to me that you didn't have a very good experience with > them; I would have thought you'd run away from them, if you'll pardon the > assumption, before you saw what they ate." <NRPG: SNEAKY !!! <G> Okay, I'll have to switch my brain on now> > > Derek studied the red-haired young man thoughtfully. There was one > thing, he thought, about those psychometric tests of Anne's. He would have > loved to test out this most unusual person. > "Look at those arms.", Oz said, holding out his scrawny arms. "Do these look like the kind that could carry heavy pieces of rock ? Wouldn't think so. I mean, they tried. But I'm just not the guy to do heavy lifting. So they put me in the kitchen. Had to cook, and peel insects and peas, and stuff. You pick up pretty fast how to make a proper Corellian meal, if the Corellian eating it got a vicious temper, not to mention a whip." "I'm surprised they did not have an automated cooking automaton, even if they did not have replicators.", Fielding said. "Hey, that was a low level Pirate Warlord operation. Besides, from your point it was in prehistoric times. There were no replicators. Or a Federation, I think, They had this old cooking robot, which didn't have any arms or legs anymore. They had found it in a derilict ship. At least it was a derilict ship *after* they were finished with it Anyway, they found it, and well, sort of dragged it to their asteroid base. It knew a fair amount of recipes, though. Including Corellian stuff." Oz munched happily on another biscuit. "Those Corellians seriously freak me out of my skin, but I gotta admit, they know how to make a nourishing, tasty meal. Here, want one ?" Derek took one, slightly suspicious. Yes, he *could* see the individual insects pressed into it. Some looked like yellow Bluebottles. Or should that be Yellowbottles ? Others looked like small dungbeetles, and purple beetles that looked like nothing he had ever seen. Then he realized that they looked a bit like a dragonfly, and were actually bits of one. Apparently the whole thing had been far too large for one biscuit. "On Earth insects were partly responsible for the transmission for diseases.", he said. "Especially flies. I was wondering -" Oz shrugged. "Wouldn't think so. Flies, yes, they are nasty. It's the stuff they eat. These, ", he held the biscuit up to his eye, then bit into it, chewed and swallowed, "are your normal, harmless pollen eating variety. See, these yellow ones make honey. Well, not honey, really, but something like it. Sweet, anyway. More liquid, though. And it got this odd touch of vinegar." "Indeed. That is interesting.", Derek said. "If you don't mind me saying so, I hadn't quite pegged you as an entymologist." "I'm not. It's just something you pick up after a while. Y'know, what's good to eat, what's bad to eat, that sort of stuff.", Oz shrugged. "If you don't mind me saying so, I hadn't pegged you as a normal human being. Pleasant, even." "Oh ! How come ?" Derek was wondering whether Anne had said anything. "You're a scientist, right ? I met scientists before. They are better than engineers. Engineers manage to bore you within five seconds of meeting you. But here we are, talking, and you have not once attempted to introduce some obscure scientific area nobody has ever heard of or would ever want to hear about but which happens to be what you spend your entire life on." "Oh, we are not all completly mad, you know.", Derek said mildly. Although *some* of course, were living closer to the edge of insanity that others. "That's a change, then.", O'Graeach said, indicating Keyrin at the other end of the room. "She was dancing, earlier on. Good dancer, too. Really flabberghasted me." "Why ? You think our CSO is incapable of dancing ?", Derek asked curious. "Quite frankly - yes. I thought so.", Oz admitted. "I mean, dancing's a social thing, right ? And there are rumors - not that I give anything on rumors, of course -", he hurried to add, "- but it seems she's not given to socializing. An' that's the mild translation." "She seems to be socializing now.", Derek pointed out. "Look, she's chatting with a few people." "'course she is. They are her dogs. I mean, staff. See the small blond woman over there ? I know she's on the security staff. Bomb disposal, if I remember correctly. I could be wrong, of course. But she's Clarissas best friend, so I know her a bit. Ellen. That's her name. And just watch how Keyrin keeps looking 'round. She's keepin' an eye on everybody. You wouldn't notice. She's good." "That's her job." "I know. But she ain't socializing. She's working." "So are we.", Derek pointed out mildly. "We are here to make sure the two groups have an opportunity to talk under the guise of socializing." Oz raised an eyebrow. "Eh ? I thought this was for fun. Oh, I get it, you're kiddin' me. There, I didn't know scientists could make funny jokes. Last time I met a scientist I had to listen to about two thousand lightbulb jokes." "What's a lightbulb ?", Derek asked puzzled. I THOUGHT THEY WERE RATHER FUNNY. HOW MANY ZENMASTERS DOES IT TAKE TO SCREW IN A LIGHTBULB ? NONE, THE UNIVERSE ROTATES THE LIGHTBULB AND THE ZENMASTER STAYS OUT OF THE WAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS HILARIOUS. Oz groaned. "Could you do me a favour ? Do you see anybody sitting on that table ?" "No, I don't see anybody.", Derek replied, straining his eyes. "Oh. Never mind. Just ignore me for a moment.", he said, then turned to her and said, "Go away. I'm having fun right now." I CAN SEE THAT. YOU'RE DRUNK. HEY, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S A BAD THING, I'M JUST POINTING OUT - YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T DRINK THAT SCOTCH FROM THE BOTTLE. YOU'LL LOSE ALL THE TASTE. ANYWAY, I'LL HAVE TO BE OFF, SOULS TO COLLECT AND ALL THAT. BUT I'LL BE SEEING YOU SOON. VERY SOON. "Yeah ? Take your time. Another five thousand years, or something. I can wait." Derek shook his shoulder. "Mr. O'Graeach ? Mr. O'Graeach ? Are you allright ?" Oz looked away from the place where Death had been sitting. Okay, the figment of his imagination. "Hmmm ? Allright ? Yeah, sure, why shouldn't I ? I just discovered that the silver lining at the horizon is actually a giant spaceship bend on world domination. Never mind, it's a silly analogy anyway. Want some scotch ?" Derek eyed the open bottle with a lack of interest. "I don't think it's a good idea to drink so many different drinks.", he said. "No, it isn't, but it's usually the only way I can get rid of her.", Oz said cheerfully. "Besides, I haven't been to a party in ages. The last party at the Academy was not something of a success, so they banned my entire group from parties." And it hadn't even been his fault that the building had caught fire. Someone else had been playing with some tools and set fire to a bed. Although things would have ended a lot better if he hadn't dropped the large bottle of ethanol near the fire. As it were, the security systems could not contain the fire fast enough to prevent the loss of all the beds, and the need for repainting walls and ceiling. And floor. And they had blamed him. Of course. He wondered whether Karen Decker was still mad at him. She had blamed him for the Bunny Incident, and boy, did she have a sharp tongue. "Who's that over there ?", he asked abruptly. "I've seen her before, but..." "Doctor Ledoux ?", Derek asked surprised. "You must remember her. She would have been the one to give you your physical." "Aaaa - eh - physical ?", Oz tried to look innocent. "Anyway, as I was saying, she looks rather stunning, don't you think ?", he added quickly. "Very.", Derek agreed. He remembered something Anne had told him. "Aren't you together with -" "Clarissa ? Oh, yes. Oh, she's such an amazing woman.", Oz began, his eyes shining. "Y'know, the universe has been treating me pretty badly. Maybe she's sort of the compensation for it all. Oh, she's the most beautiful, the most wonderful woman in the entire universe. Hey, what about yourself ? Are you involved with anyone ? If not, I can introduce you to this girl from the Lower Decks-" NRPG: Just some more party chat. Question: The Chesapeake is a hood. What sort of Pod are we carrying ? Can we blow it up ? (Not that I intend to blow it up, of course, just, y'know, in case we need a plot. <EG>) Love, Fabian psychon@oocities.com
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